to -- >> 12 barack obamas, seven chris christies, five sumo wrestlers, three grizzly bears. >> reporter: these brown bears would find the freak two freakin' delicious. jeanne moos, cnn, new york. >> did you hear that, did she say putting the pumpkin out to stud? yes? these guys hate me when i talk to them that's why i do it in the studio. see you at 10. just weeks till the election and it is a dead heat in the race for the white house. millions of latino voters could make all the difference. >> the hispanic vote is going to be critically important this election. >> reporter: the battleground states hanging in the balance, outreach is amping up. >> unprecedented effort. lots of money in nevada, in colorado, in virginia, in

florida. >> reporter: in nevada, both parties pull out all the stops to woo latinos and their leaders. >> i think they have much bigger interest in this race. >> they wanted latino voters? >> they wanted latinos to come out and vote. >> reporter: thousands of latinos become 18 and are eligible to vote every month. they face a struggling economy, broken promises and harsh immigration rhetoric. do you think democrats and republicans understand latinos here in nevada? >> neither party understands what is needed for the hispanics. >> neither party? >> neither party. >> reporter: so who will win them over? "latino in america, courting their vote." las vegas, nevada, one of the gambling capitals of the world, beyond the glitz and glamour, in

the shadow of high rollers and high-stakes gambling is high-stakes politics. this is the las vegas you rarely see. nevada is home to one of the fastest-growing latino populations in the country. more than a quarter of the state's population is now hispanic. in 2008, those latino voters helped turn this historically republican state democratic. yet again, a you will eyes are on this crucial swing state and its six electoral votes. >> the goal is to get as much support as we can from the hispanic community. >> reporter: hector bareto is one of the people in charge of outreach for republican presidential nominee, mitt romney. do you think latinos are going to determine who is the next president? >> they could. obviously, it is a growing leak tore ral rat and it is going to

continue to grow in the elections to come. i don't think either party can take that vote for granted. >> reporter: democrats are fighting to hold onto nevada, with political heavy hitters like senate majority leader harry reid courting the latino community. it's a huge opportunity. nearly 300,000 nevada voters are latino. >> all over the country, no more than any place than nevada is is the hispanic vote. >> reporter: republicans want to take the state back n seven out of the last ten elections, nevada voted republican. >> we understand to win, you don't -- tough win the hispanic vote we have to be engaged. >> welcome to las vegas tonight. the presidential candidates come here to win the west. >> reporter: in october 2011, the republican presidential candidates rolled into town with their money and their message. >> herman ca maman cain, let me with you would you build an

entire fence around the entire border around would you have it be electrified? >> i will build a double-walled fence. >> reporter: there's tough talk on immigration. >> you have enough border patrol agents to oversee the fence and number two you turn off the magnets like tuition breaks or other breaks that draw people into this country illegally. >> we have a question in the audience. >> reporter: in the audience is las vegas businessman robert zavala, a republican voter anxious to ask the question on the minds of many latino voters. we have 50 million latinos and not all of us are illegal. what is the message from you guys to our latino community? >> reporter: is it a tough thing to be republican and latino here? >> yes, it is. >> reporter: how so? >> i have to all the time defend the party, say, look, that's not all of us. our community is not only about immigration. the latino community is like any other community. they want jobs. they want a better education for their kids. >> what is the message that we take to the grassroots? >> reporter: hours after the gop debate in a different session, zavala is still pressing his own

party's leaders for answers. >> electing latino leaders in here but we don't know how to reach them out there the democrats are kicking our behind. >> we need you out here, talking us to, to the latinos. >> reporter: republican is he is seem ya aldana shares zavalo's dissatisfaction. >> the republican leadership has to send a message to our community. >> what is your frustration with the republican party? >> they don't see what hispanics go through every day and how is it other parties are taking advantage of that. they don't see it as a problem. >> you don't think the republicans are fighting for your vote? >> exactly. >> reporter: cecilia is fighting for their votes and pushing the gop leadership to join her and their message to the latino community. >> i have never seen them trying to to be out there and express their voices, you know? i'm not afraid to tell people what i stand for, so i want to be out there trying to teach and educate the population.

i have a gorgeous view of the sunrise. it gives met energy i need every day. >> reporter: cecilia moved from peru to the united states 30 years ago to pursue her american dream. >> it was hard for me in the beginning. so, i made a decision, i said, you know what i need to feed my children. i don't care. i'm going to work as a housekeeper. >> reporter: she rose from being a house keeper to a bank teller to running a lucrative chain of medical clinics. >> we are at the clinic this is the main location. i'm going to park exactly. >> reporter: cecilia spotted an opportunity to cater to latinos. >> hi, doctor. >> cecilia. >> how are you? >> good. >> reporter: cecilia ran nine clinics, 130 employees. the recession led her to shutdown some clinic and lay off 60 workers. >> the bad economy has delivered blow after blow, jobs disappear, savings drying up, homes losing

value and now there's a new class of working poor, families who once enjoyed six-figure incomes now lose their homes. >> that's me. if i didn't make the changes i had to make, you know, with the company, we close five clinics, it was really painful. but we did t and finally, we are almost dealt free and we are back to hiring again. >> reporter: at the core of cis celia's success, she says her conservative believes and values. >> i'm a conservative woman, so i believe in personal responsibility, i believe in the american dream. i came to this country to work hard. i don't want government telling me what to do. >> 2804. [ knocking ] >> reporter: state senator ruben key win also believes in the american dream. >> patricia, how are you? my name is ruben key win. >> reporter: he, too is fighting for the latino vote but for the democrats.

>> what is your issues in the economy, jobs, health care? >> the economy, foreclosures on the houses? >> foreclosures? >> yeah. >> reporter: today, nevada is suffering through high levels of foreclosures, 12% unemployment, with the latino community especially hard hit. a recent cnn/orc poll shows three-quarters of latinos are more concerned about the economy than immigration policy. >> since most of these people work in the casino industry and the tourism industry, if the casino and the tourism industry is not making money, they lay people off. so, thighs are the first line of workers who get laid off when times are hard some, when these people get laid off, they can't pay their bills. when they can't pay their bills, they lose their home. so, we have a lot of work to do. >> reporter: these are problems plaguing latinos across the country, problems latinos look to their politicians to solve. but is either party really listening? >> how you doing, sir?

>> reporter: ahead -- >> ruben key win, running for u.s. congress. >> reporter: ruben's quest to become nevada's first ever latino congressman. >> i'm ruben key win, running for congress here in las vegas. hopefully i can earn your support. and if you stumble, you get back up. up isn't easy, and we ought to know. we're in the business of up. everyday delta flies a quarter of million people while investing billions improving everything from booking to baggage claim. we're raising the bar on flying and tomorrow we will up it yet again. ♪ ♪ we're lucky, it's not every day you find a companion

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♪ >> hi, how are you? >> good. >> good. ruben kihuen. here is my card. hopefully i can count on your support. how are you? who is this good-looking gentleman here? >> reporter: congressional candidate ruben kihuen knows how to work a room. >> ladies, good luck. >> reporter: talking to some of the most powerful latino leaders in nevada. >> mr. governor. >> reporter: like republin brian santo vap, the state's first latino governor. >> nice to see you. > how are you doing? >> good. i'm telling people, look, i'm not the most famous candidate, i'm not the one with the most money, i'm one with the biggest heart and the most money. >> just keep working. >> good to see you here. >> good luck. >> a recount of your support. >> reporter: ruben has more than luck on his side, he has democratic senator harry reid as his mentor.

>> nevada senator harry reid! >> reporter: reid gave ruben his start in politics, handling events in the latino community. >> a lot of community leaders here start saying, wow this guy ruben, you know, he is doing a good job for senator reid, maybe he can run for office some day. >> reporter: and that's exactly what ruben did winning a seat in the nevada state assembly when he was just 26. >> one, two, three. >> reporter: now at 31 -- >> hi, how are you? >> reporter: he has a much loftier goal. >> ruben kihuen, running for u.s. congress. >> reporter: the state's latino population has skyrocketed, up 87%, 700,000 latinos the last decade. >> how are you? you look warm. >> reporter: redistricting resulted in one district becoming heavily hispanic. [ speaking spanish ] >> constituents i have been representing the past years were calling and saying, ruben, you should run. so i met with a lot of people for many weeks, went out to washington, d.c. i met with senator reid. >> did he encourage you to run?

>> senator reid is the type of person, if he doesn't want you to runs, he will testimony you directly, you should not run. the fact he didn't discourage me from running meant, to me, that this was an opportunity for me to run. thank you so much. are you guys ready to go out door to door? >> reporter: so ruben launched a grassroots campaign. [ speaking spanish ] >> reporter: sharing his experience of achieving the american dreams, after emigrating from mexico with his family when i was 6. >> this is where my family and i first lived when we were near las vegas. when you get here with nothing and you get to live in a house with four bedrooms in front of a park, my father had a car. we had a home. aid job. that is the american dream. i understand the issues of the people in this area. tough lived through the same experiences they have lived. my family has lost a home, you

know to foreclosure. you know, i have parents who have been unemployed, both of them, been in situations where we didn't know where our next paycheck was going to come from or how we were going to put food at the table that night. >> through hard work, ruben says, all of his family have realized their american dream but others in the latino community are struggling. >> we want these people who live in these homes to have an opportunity to move up if they want to and right now, they are losing hope because those opportunities not there. >> reporter: ruben is running in a district with 500,000 latinos, the largest latino population in the state. >> i need your help. >> reporter: he says electing him to congress would give latinos a vote. >> hi, everybody. >> reporter: and democratic leaders hope ruben's candidacy would bring more latinos out to the polls. but if in the fall above 2011, candidate kihuen found out he

has competition in the democratic primary, congresswoman dina titus. titus is an extremely ex-peer yensed and well financed politician. ruben is young and fresh and culturally connected. >> i might not raises much money as her but i have hundreds of volunteers ready to go knock on doors, those young voters following make phone calls for you. >> to hear about ruben, see his face. >> reporter: more than 60,000 latinos turn 18 across the country and some democratic leaders believe ruben could be the right man to connect to them. debbie rios is the president of the hispanic student union at rancho high school, ruben's alma matter. >> if you go and you have a ruben shirt, please wear it. >> reporter: debbie's passion goes beyond politics it is also personal. her brother and many of her friends are in this country illegally. the dream act could have protected them from deportation. it went down to defeat by the

senate in 2010. >> having friends who are so close who had that chance to being able to have some kind of legal status here and then knowing that it wasn't possible, it was very heartbreaking. [ speaking spanish ] >> reporter: political radio host and registered democrat miguel is disappointed with his party. >> 70% of the latino population went with barack obama to get him elected. with than happens, everybody is fired up, yeah wither going to get dream act, everybody is talking immigration reforms coming in. and then the first 100 days go by and, oh, well, nada. >> reporter: president obama has upset latinos by deporting more undocumented immigrants than any other administration in u.s. history. to debra, by rios and other

latinos, part of the solution is more hispanic leaders in washington, d.c., like ruben kihuen. >> i don't have as much money as my opponent. >> the thing is, you got all the hispanics behind you. >> well, you know, that's what i'm hoping for. >> reporter: ruben's trying to build the momentum and the base he needs to win. even appearing on republican business woman cecilia aldan's show. even though rubin is a democrat, support crosses party lines. [ speaking spanish ] >> he impressed me today. absolutely impressed me today. 43% is hispanics. he should be the one representing that district. >> reporter: it seems ruben has support of his community. >> ruben kihuen, to hi, how are you. >> reporter: and powerful democratic leaders but is it enough to make him nevada's first latino congressman?

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you ought to see the faces on the children when they see santa claus. >> reporter: december 2011. a season of giving. and cecilia aldana's favorite

time of year. >> okay. misto. i collected, between the purchase and the donations, 5,500 toys. >> reporter: every year, cecilia helps sponsor a toy and food drive for nevada's neediest. >> this is a reality. this is exactly what happens in las vegas. >> reporter: the unemployment rate for latinos in nevada is is 15.2%. it doubled after the recession of 2008 when the construction industry collapsed. >> what makes me extremely sad is no politician understands what happens every day in ou lives. >> reporter: even republican party leaders admit they need to do more. >> i think in a lot of cases, we have some work to do. >> reporter: sean spicer is with the republican national committee. >> i think if you look at that time on paper, we should you can the home for every latino. hands down. no question. unfortunately, i think we

haven't always done the best job of reaching out to them and talking to them about it. >> reporter: lack of outreach led latinos to form their own opinions, based on republicans tough stance on immigration. in fact, a recent cnn/orc poll shows 70% of latinos believe that democrats care more about them. only 24% say republicans care more. what do you think most hispanics in nevada think of the republican party? >> they immediately go and say we don't trust republicans because they are all evil. you know, they are no good people. >> that's what hispanics here say? >> why, sole dad? why do they say that? it's because they hear that on the news every day. and i'm a republican. i'm a conservative republican. i'm out there working hard, making sure i create jobs for more people. >> reporter: cecilia feels she is doing her part but the republican party itself is struggling. [ speaking spanish ]

>> why is the economy weak? >> reporter: while nevada's republican party is supporting ron paul, the national republican party is unifying behind mitt romney. >> we are having a rally for mitt romney. >> reporter: to people like cecilia, it seems there is no clear party direction. no easy way to be involved. until mitt romney comes to town. >> i'm talking to some of the romney people to see what i can do to help them to recruit hispanics. >> reporter: at last, cecilia feels engaged by her party. >> we see record numbers of foreclosures. i don't have to tell you that. we need new leadership in washington. >> it totally inspires me, you know, gives me hope for the future. so i can't wait for him to become president.

>> reporter: republican or democrat, nevada's latino community shares the same hope as its future, sending one of their own to congress. for democrats that would be state senator ruben kihuen. january 24, 2012, washington, d.c. >> you know, i get the chills every time i walk by this building. >> reporter: congressional candidate kihuen has traveled across the country as a guest of his mentor, senator harry reid. he is attending the state of the union address. >> this is maybe a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. god willing, we win this election in june and in november and next year, i will be serving in this body as a member of congress, listening to that speech. >> reporter: while in washington, ruben makes a point to meet with key latino congressmen. of the 530 members currently in congress, 28 are latino, eight republicans, 20 democrats. >> you already lieutenant? >> i'm doing well. waiting to meet with congressman

ba basserra. >> reporter: like charlie gonzalez from the hispanic caulk couple. >> a few more offices. >> reporter: and congressman becerra from california.aucus. . >> a few more offices. >> reporter: and congressman becerra from california. >> going to be in washington for the state of the union? >> yes, actually august guest of senator reid. >> reporter: with each meeting, ruben's confidence builds. >> he will be here in about a year. >> i'm working hard. >> mr. speaker, the president of the united states. >> reporter: that night the state of the union. what was it like? >> when you're invited to sit there and be among the 600 most powerful people in the world, possibly, you know, including the president of the united states and you get to witness this event in person, it's

life-changing. >> reporter: then earthquake the next morning, an important meeting. senator harry reid, ruben's mentor and a king maker in congress. so, for the folks in washington, d.c., how important was it that you were latino in a district that is latino? >> nevada is a battleground state it is state. it is a purple state. >> they wanted latino inos to v they knee no he by having a latino on the general election ballot it would increase their turnout. they had their own vested interest in this. >> it seems to me odd ton of momentum, both in d.c., and their constituents. >> there was a picture that came out on the las vegas sun where senator reid had his arm around me. so a lot of people were saying we know who senator reid is supporting.

>> reporter: ruben's trip to washington left him running high but back in nevada, his competitor was beating him in the polls. there must have been people in your campaign saying, ruben, we're in trouble. ifou stumble, you get back up. up isn't easy, and we ought to know. we're in the business of up. everyday delta flies a quarter of million people while investing billions improving everything from booking to baggage claim. we're raising the bar on flying and tomorrow we will up it yet again. silverado! the most dependable, longest lasting, full-size pickups on the road. so, what do you think? [ engine revs ] i'll take it.

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i'm don lemon. here are tonight's headlines.

a possible break in the case of a missing 10-year-old girl in colorado. police say they found a backpack containing items with jessica ridgeway's name on them a man found the backpack outside his house about six miles from jessica's hometown. police say a bloodhound is being used at the scene where the backpack was found. jessica was last seen friday on her way to school. in just 24 house, the meningitis outbreak has grown by almost a third. the cdc confirms 91 cases of fungal meningitis in nine states, including seven deaths. that's 27 new cases since yesterday. nearly half in michigan. meningitis is linked to contaminated steroid injections often used to ease back and neck pain. the company that distributed the tainted steroid issued voluntary recall for all of its products. live pictures now from cape canaveral, florida where at any second, the spacex rock set going to blast off. look at that. beautiful. bound for the international space station, of course.

nasa is stepping aside as the first commercial spaceflight gets under way. we will have more at 10 p.m. eastern. should happen very shortly. you are looking at live pictures now. we will carry it for you. those are your headlines. cnn, the most trusted name in news. i'm ruben kihuen, i'm running for united states congress. >> okay. >> thank you, my friend. >> reporter: ruben kihuen, energet energetic, enthused. and enboldened by his trip to washington, d.c. is back in las vegas. >> i love you, ruben. >> reporter: continuing his campaign to become nevada's first latino congressman but the polls are telling a different story. must have been people in your campaign crunching those numbers and saying, ruben, we're in trouble. >> we were not focused on what that poll or any of those polls were saying because i was confident by the time election day came around, they knew who ruben kihuen was and what he planned on doing for them.

>> reporter: then, on february 7, 2012, just two weeks after ruben's d.c. trip, a surprising turn. kihuen releases this statement and withdraws from the race. >> here at home, state senator ruben kihuen has dropped out of the race. >> reporter: rancho high school is the home base for ruben's volunteer youth support. both students and teachers struggle with the news. >> it's so shocking because just this saturday, we were out canvassing for him and his campaign manager was there and you know, the field director was there and how could this have happened? >> the only time i think i've been -- i think i sat or maybe effected is when i found out the dream act had not passed. >> reporter: next is the to hear from ruin personally. instead his sister -- >> mary anna kihuen. >> reporter: faces their

disappoint. >> it was you guys that really made his campaign last five, six months that it did. >> all the indications was ruben is our candidate, he will go to congress. >> reporter: miguel barrentos, a producer and radio host in las vegas. >> he would have kept the party strong, latinos more on the democratic ticket but after that, i think it is going to reflect on how people are going to get elect here in southern nevada. >> reporter: a week pass and a once highly visible ruben kihuen has still not made a public appearance. speculation builds about his withdrawal from the race. [ speaking spanish ] >> reporter: until ruben appears on miguel's spanish radio show to face those that believed in him. [ speaking spanish ] >> the reality is some people don't understand it but the reality is we didn't have the money. >> okay, ruben, if the issue is

money. >> reporter: miguel doesn't buy t. >> harry reid able to raise $30 million for his senate race, i'm sure with a couple phone calls, he would have raised $1 million for ruben kihuen if he really wanted to help the latino community. >> 'cause i knew once -- >> reporter: regardless of the reasons, ruben struggles with his decision to drop out. >> again, it was tough. don't get me wrong. >> how tough? >> for me, i couldn't sleep the day before, i wasn't sure if we stay in the race or not. we had the volunteers, we had the people support. we had the community behind my campaign. >> but? >> we had community leaders. >> sfwhu. >> but this was going to have a negative impact ultimately for president obama's campaign here in nevada because i know that worse case scenario, had i lost that primary, those voters who were nontraditional voters, who were excited to see my candidacy, were going to be discouraged to go out there and support anyone in the general election. >> reporter: ruben wait is weight of re-electing president

obama on his shoulders around the dreams of his community on his back, he took one for the team. his party, not his people. are some latinos bhad that, you know, that the person who has to take one for the team is the young up and coming latino who can bring out the latino vote which, by the way, is big in this state? but when push came to shove, it's not going to be you this time? >> you know, i'm -- i don't know. i mean, i've heard of a lot of, you know, mixed messages. some people did call me and some were disappointed with the democratic party, should come out and supporting me publicly so concerned about getting latinos out to vote, they should support the latino candidate. >> reporter: senator reid's office says the decision to drop out of the race was kihuen's. from ruben's balcony you can script offers a constant

reminder of why he got into the race in the first place. >> if you look at that big green hotel over there, that's where my mom works. and as we speak, that's where she's working. she's a housekeeper at the mgm grand. part of the reason why i was doing this was because of my mom and because of my father and so when i look out there, i think about my mom that's working right now, her dream of seeing me serving in congress is going to have to be put on hold. but i'm still committed to it as ever. it just didn't happen in 2012. >> reporter: republican cecilia aldana still has high hopes for 2012. inspired after working at the republican caucus supporting front-runner mitt romney, cecilia sets her sites on becoming a delegate to the national convention. is that gonna happen? >> no, it didn't happen. i don't know how exactly that works but i was not one of the names on the list.

i don't know what the process is. but my name wasn't there so i guess it broke my heart. >> reporter: with nevada's republican party in disarray, splintered between ron paul and mitt romney supporters, and no clear strategy, cecilia is left with a challenge. >> you are a nevada hispanic. >> reporter: how to win over the latino vote for republicans on her own. and with ruben out of the race, have democrats jeopardized getting the latino vote in nevada? . ♪

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>> reporter: this is a big day for debbie rios. today, she is graduating from rancho high school. she will start college in the fall. >> debbie lorraine leos. >> reporter: something her undocumented older brother could not do. debbie rios is becoming an adult in a school district where the population is booming. nearly 50% of kindergarteners are latino. though latinos are the largest minority group in the country, they are politically underrepresented nationwide.

here in nevada, ruben kihuen abandoned his bad bid to become the state's first latino congressman but urges the rancho graduates to keep on fighting. >> we must remember the road to success leads through hard work, patience, persistence and perseverance. were were are they endwayning latino voters here? >> yes, i am seeing it from the president's campaign and the local canned dats understand the importance of the latino vote and make it to events. you need to invest in latino votes in order to get latinos come out and vote. >> you feel like democrat rinse vesting? >> they are investing. >> regardless of what happened with you? >> yes. yes.

>> reporter: many are disappointed with the democrats. after president obama failed to defeat republicans in congress, after the defeat of the 2010 dream act, many latinos resent the lack of support for leaders like ruben. >> i think the leadership is seek the latino vote but the way we saw it with the ruben kihuen issue is they are not ready to give us the political power. i think it is a missed opportunity for the democrat leadership. >> reporter: five months before the election, president obama independently makes a decision that changes the game. >> effective immediately, the department of homeland security is taking steps to lift the shadow of deportation from these young people. >> reporter: the president's executive decision temporarily allows undocumented young people to stay in the u.s. and apply for a work permit. a strategy that directly targets young voters under 30, like

debbie rios. the republicans say it isn't the right solution. mitt romney, now the party's candidate, fires back. >> i believe the status of young people who come here through no fault of their own is an important matter to be considered and should be solved on a long-term basis. >> reporter: on the ground are the national parties are dialing into the latino community. and both parties come to nevada for the national council's annual conference. >> we saw latinos be a swing vote in 2010 and in 2008 when barack obama was put into office and when harry reid was elected into office. as it turns out, they tipped the scales and i think everyone credits the latino community with having made the difference in those elections. >> reporter: the nclr conference has been a center stage for

latino politics. candidates obama and mccain spoke here in 2008, but neither candidate attends in 2012. janet says it is a missed opportunity. >> it's important to tap into that growing power of the latino community and to encourage as many latinos and hispanics to be full participas in the electal process. >> reporter: which is what cecilia aldana is focusing on. >> we are trying to educate the population on the different options. >> reporter: frustrated by the split in the nevada's republican party, cecilia moves forward on her own. though still a hard-core republican, she decides to join an independent conservative group. >> i became part of nevada hispanic, it was created by one of my greatest friends. we believe in strong immigrat n immigration.

we believe on the family. >> why not work with the republican party? >> i thicke you can achieve more doing what i'm doing. i want to teach you how this country works. >> reporter: the republican party's outveatch slowly taking shape. with the state party in disaray, the republican national committee and the romney campaign start their own separate outreach. there were many people in nevada who felt it was late by then. do you feel it was late? >> i don't feel it was late. a lot of time, people aren't really plugging in until you get this time of year. >> reporter: but are republicans plug nothing nevada late teen snows latinos the state of nevada is that your focus in the

campaign? >> no as i mentioned to you, i've been in ohio, wisconsin this week. >> you told me nevada is could be a critical swing state? >> is, we can do more than one state at the same time. >> reporter: and he will have to, with obama and romney nearly tied in the polls and just weeks left till the election, the latino vote is especially crucial. up next, democrats and republicans bring latino issues and players to the biggest stage yet. ♪ ♪ hi dad. many years from now, when the subaru is theirs... hey. you missed a spot. ...i'll look back on this day and laugh. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru.

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the democratic national convention, the party's biggest political pep ral i love the year. front and center is state senator ruben kihuen, one of the party's biggest fans. he dropped out of the highly contested congressional race for district one in nevada. he says he feared his candidacy

would divide the democratic party. tonight, ruben represents nevadaz at democratic national committeeman. >> i ran for national committeeman, got elected. this is part of my responsibility to be here but also because i'm one of the main surrogates for the president's campaign back home. my grandmother didn't begin to her our lives in public service but probably thought it extraordinary. >> reporter: the first time a latino is doing the keynote at the dnc, which surprised in toe some degree. an poernt role sent to late team knows. >> i think his message is the american dream is still alive, we work hard, we sacrifice, still out there similar to my message when i was campaigning for congress. for know witness this is historic. >> journey that brought me here tonight -- >> reporter: with the election a virtual dead heat, they are

desperate to connect with the nation's 24 million eligible latino voters. [ speaking spanish ] >> reporter: their pitch. >> there was no limit how far i could go because i was an american. >> reporter: republican is he is seem ya aldana dreamed of going as a delegate to the convention, it didn't happen, so seles celia shifted efforts away from the republican party and toward an independent conservative group called nevada hispanics. she is now the chairwoman. should the republican party look at you and say that is what we need to win spinks, if we don't get hispanics eventually we are really not going to be competitive? >> what i'm doing every day

is -- >> they don't make a note? >> they don't make a note. >> reporter: the party needs to be making note and fast. cecilia al dana is doing her part around believes her independent effort does deliver 5 to 10,000 conservative votes for mitt romney. >> i spoke to cecilia last week, i met with her. >> reporter: hector barreto helps lead's official latino outreach. >> she has an organization, doing a a lot of grassroots, too. >> reporter: she told me she started doing that on her own when she couldn't get into the campaign. >> that is what leaders do she was a leader. they don't wait for anybody. >> reporter: wouldn't it take more sense take somebody like that a leader that wants to make governor romney win? >> absolutely. i'm sure she will be a big supporter around contributor going forward. >> that is. is that is my point. a big supporter around

contributor financially like to see governor romney as president can't figure out how to get in and believes her interpretation is the campaign is disorganize and not focusing on hispanics in nevada, the romney campaign doesn't really care. >> sure. what happens in campaigns also is campaigns change. you are running a primary campaign you don't low have a lot of resources on the ground, you are the nominee now you have more resource and staff and these things change quickly. >> reporter: this tape from a spring fund-raiser is released, he suspect doing himself any favors. >> the governor of michigan, the head of a car company but he was born in mexico. had he have been born to mexican parent, i would have had a better shop of winning. >> reporter: with the election weeks away, nevada is still up for grabs.

los angeles mayor antonio villaraigosa is one of president obama's key campaigners for the late teen knee vote. do you think the state of nevada is is going to pick the next president? >> 24 out of the last 25 elections they have picked the president. as nevada goes, so goes the nation. but i see a very close election. >> reporter: today there are 51 million latinos in the country, roughly half eligible to vote and their votes are critical to wing the election, but what about their voices? when will their numbers translate into political power? >> i have said this to democrats and republicans alike. we know when latinos see more candidates coming from their community august way of energizing the latino vote. >> reporter: ruben kihuen hopes to be one of those candidates in the future. will you run for office again? >> absolutely. >> reporter: will you be a congressman?